


Incubus Dreams

by Shinigamibutter



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Demons, Double Anal Penetration, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, Ghosts, Harem style, Hormones, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mind Manipulation, POV Multiple, POV hopping, Polyamory, Rough Kissing, Rough Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Slow Build, Succubi & Incubi, horror?, m/m/m/m/m/m/m
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2020-09-24 01:21:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20350000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinigamibutter/pseuds/Shinigamibutter
Summary: Jooheon, Kihyun, Minhyuk, Hyungwon, Wonho, and Shownu all encounter the same campus ghost.What they don't know is that it isn't a ghost but an incubus who's waited hundreds of years for this chance.





	1. Jooheon

**Author's Note:**

> Finally the poll winner, the one that was supposed to be fic 100... Until ShowHyung shoved it aside....oops. Oh well.
> 
> To be honest this ended up more complicated and longer than I thought it would be... Again

Jooheon felt himself go pale even looking at the webpage he'd clicked on. But he steeled his nerves and kept going until he found what he was looking for. Ignoring the extras and spooky music coming from the speakers. Whoever had created the page had a stronger horror resistance than Jooheon ever would. Under normal circumstances he'd never come to this website or anything like it, even if he was paid. But these weren't normal circumstances. And as much as he wanted to avoid the situation he also couldn't. 

Clicking on the forums he prepared himself for the worst in the hours he'd likely spend reading them. His eyes scanning for the urban legend or campus tale he was looking for. His jaw dropped when he instantly found it, the name of his own college underlined in the tell tale blue of a link at the top of the page. There was a single line of text underneath it that explained what the forum was about. It read 'the stairwell in Berkley' and that was it. But he knew what that meant, anyone who attended his college would know. He glanced at the most recent post date and paled. It was from an hour ago. 

The time brought back his memory of an hour ago when he'd been on the stairwell in question, obviously so had the poster. It was the only way to get effectively from one floor to another in the building, which of course housed all of the mandatory classes the college required. There was an elevator but it was always on the fritz. So he'd been using them and stopped to wait out the traffic between the second and third floors, that always ran heavy at that time. He'd put himself against the wall, where a window should have been, and waited with a few other students not in enough of a hurry to gallop up or down the stairs.

It had been normal, an everyday occurrence on campus. And though he'd heard rumors, everyone had heard rumors of the stairwell in Berkely, about a ghost he wasn't worried. He'd been using the stairs for a month or more now after all, and nothing had happened. Granted as a transfer he didn't quite believe the rumors anyway, thinking because he's normally easily scared his friends were trying to spook him. That had been before, before a boy, maybe a man, but something not human and transparent appeared in the corner. 

At first he'd only blinked at the apparition that had seemed to just materialize there. Then he heard it, and while he didn't scream, run, or even remotely react he'd wanted to. Instead he froze at the words. 'Help me. Save me.' They floated through the air, and while Jooheon watched in absolute fear the spector looked his way. He could feel the temperature drop as it locked on, black eyes staring into his soul. The words repeated like a mantra and then just as suddenly as the apparition had been it wasn't. 

While Jooheon would normally have run screaming at that point, and sworn off using the stairs ever again. He didn't. Instead he recalled all of the rumors he'd ever heard about the stairwell ghost and realized his experience was different. None of the rumors involved the ghost talking. Appearing yes, disappearing check, and black eyes were a positive but no speech. And definitely no mention of a low voice so sullen it would pull at anyone's heart strings. Even his. Which was how he found himself here. On a website be didn't want to visit, but he needed to know. 

The urban legend of the stairwell ghost was rumored to be as old as the building itself. And one rendition, told with a flashlight to the face by a drunken Gunhee, Jooheon's best friend and the one who loved to scare him most honestly, had mentioned maybe longer. That the stairwell ghost was actually a demon trapped in an air prison waiting for the right heart to appear for him to eat. That at least he didn't believe, and he couldn't quite believe the account he'd finished reading either. The poster from an hour ago had written about seeing exactly what he did. Minus a few things. 

Jooheon sighed leaning back in his desk chair, comparing their accounts. The poster had been in the opposite corner, no one ever stood in the ghost corner. And they'd seen the apparition appear, a face with black eyes and a small body they thought male. That was it. No pleas, no looking anywhere, no nothing. He commented on the post, a quick question 'did it say anything', before scrolling back to the very first post on the forum topic. He found himself blinking at the date, almost as old as the website itself. The dive in was as tedious as he'd thought it would be.

It was hours before Jooheon came up for air, his mind reeling from the sheer amount of accounts, studys, and vast information about this ghost. All the things he'd heard lining up with what he read. And he still hadn't found anyone with an account like his own. Instead he'd gone through most of his remaining free time looking into something he didn't want to believe in and nibbling. Sighing as he picked up the trash from his latest snack he jumped at the sudden noise of a notification. The sound of a scream from the forum page. It almost annoyed him into ignoring it.

He didn't, couldn't as his curiosity was already at an all time high. After all, according to experts, this was one of the few cases which might just be an undeniable haunting. Proof that ghosts exist without doubt. Though when he'd read that he kept thinking of the rendition Gunhee had given him and the voice, so desolate and abandoned. He thought of it again looking at the reply to his comment on the post. It wasn't from the original poster, it was from a user name Kiham and simply read, 'I've heard him too'. The comment sent a shiver up Jooheon's spine that he wasn't sure was fear or excitement. 

Unsure as he was he still decided to reply, his own username of Joohon stared at him as he thought of what to say. In the end he only addressed the rest of the forum users 'has anyone else heard him?' and sent a message to Kiham asking what the ghost had said. This time he didn't wait for a reply on the website not wanting to hear the notification noise ever again. Instead he forced himself to go back to his homework and forget. He had to use the stairs again tomorrow after all.


	2. Kihyun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for the first couple of chapters it's going to be individual chapters. Because they don't know each other yet. I've got the next chapter started but this is all that's done so far.
> 
> Chapters are likely to be short

Kihyun stared at the private message he'd gotten from one Joohon. He hadn't decided if it was earnest yet or not. As he'd often get messages asking about his posts on other forum topics, about his many, many experiences. Most of them were just curious people that were sticking their noses too far into business that wasn't theirs. Others were fanmail and checking up on him. With this message it felt like something in between, something sincere. Or maybe that was the feeling of a bee on a daisy as an icon on a paranormal website.

Still, he found himself answering against his better judgment in the same way he'd confessed hearing the ghost. That was information he'd kept locked up for well over a year as he no longer had need to go into the Berkley building anymore. Though, despite his desire not to be there, he often found himself there. Sitting in the stairwell watching the corner, waiting. For what he didn't know but he knew it wasn't the ghost. Who had only shown itself a few times of the many times that had happened. Usually when he went he was left staring at an empty corner. The words the ghost spoke repeating over and over in his mind. 

He sighed as he looked at the message he'd typed. The words were almost audible around him in the dull quiet of the library computer lab, it was five minutes to closing. He hadn't checked his notifications after he'd started on his paper a few hours ago. The private message had seemed the most pressing. Then followed the comments on the original post he'd commented on. Joohon had asked the question that Kihyun himself had wondered but never voiced. But there it sat in black letters, 'has anyone else heard him'. And more shockingly there were more replies. 

Four more unknown usernames were showcased on the screen MinK, Hone, Woono, and a SunWoo. Added to Joohon and himself he realized that made six of them altogether who had heard the ghost calling. Idly he wondered if it was calling to them, a thought that grew stronger as he got up and stretched. He wasn't sure of its validity, but after his first experience with the paranormal he was more willing to believe. In some ways he missed his innocence, his denial, and his lack of fear. Packing his bag up he sighed, truly what he missed was not knowing when he wasn't alone. 

With a sigh Kihyun shrugged on his bag and headed out. Behind him, where he had been, the librarian was going around turning off computers. Over her shoulder, unseen by most and he wished himself included, was a dark orb. It wasn't negative in nature just there, watching as it liked to do to the students as well. It wasn't strong enough to take a form and it wasn't a bother. Still, he closed his eyes to it as he made his way to his dorm. The unexpected message had his feet turning towards the Berkley building before he realized it. 

It took more force to change course than he wanted to admit to. But he did it anyway, his thoughts drifting to the first time he'd had that feeling, the feeling of being called. It had started in his freshman year here. The first time he'd seen the building every student passed through during their first year. After that he'd started seeing things, ghosts, demons, ghouls, whatever one wanted to call them. Though the first, the true first had been the ghost of the stairwell. A cute face with eyes blacker than night. 

At the time he'd first seen the ghost he'd not known what it was, he'd looked solid and real standing in the corner. Granted it was late at night and Kihyun was making use of the key he'd copied from a janitor to make use of the building. Nothing illegal, but he was often doing extra things for the professor. At the time he hadn't thought anything of doing that either. Until the professor's true intentions came to light. But that night he'd taken his time on the stairs, in no rush to actually go do his assignments. Then he'd seen him in the corner. 

The sight of course had him stopping in his tracks thinking he'd been caught, no one was supposed to be in the building. He'd relaxed seeing it was obviously another student based on their age. But when he'd asked who they were and if they needed help black eyes had turned towards him. The face they were peering out from was cute, almost handsome but wrong. Caught in a moment of suffering. Then he'd heard the words, watching lips move but the words didn't come from there. "Help me. Save me."

Even thinking about it now gave Kihyun chills, but not because it was scary, though it was, but because it had been so sad. Was still so sad when they were repeated in a low voice that matched the pained expression. Back then Kihyun had of course moved to help, his hand met air where the younger man had been. It was then he'd realized he'd had his first ghost encounter. His first encounter with the paranormal. After which they just didn't stop. The frequency had sent him to the forums where he kept an eye on stories about the Berkley ghost. 

Until now, until Joohon he'd yet to see someone else say they'd heard him. He'd still yet to see someone see the ghost as solidly as he had. Though he suspected that had to do with timing more than anything. He also couldn't help thinking that the ghost was the reason he'd started to see other things. And he wanted to blame him, to feel anger towards him. Instead all he could feel was a longing, a calling. The sad voice begging to be saved made him want to save it, to save the man the ghost might have been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts appreciated 🙃


	3. Minhyuk & Hyungwon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyuk and Hyungwon answer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK guys I'm going to address some tags, this is in advance but after next chapter they matter. There will be dubious consent here. Obiviously an incubus is a sex demon so they cloud over minds with horomones. That will def be happening in this fic. SO you can turn back now if that bothers you. Tho I'll of course address all the consequences of such actions and what not later. But I'm giving you fair warning before the story gets more intersting. (aka this chapter)

Minhyuk frowned at his computer screen, it was acting up again, blinking at him in small flashes. Beside him Hyungwon, his best friend and roommate, was having no problems with his computer his dark eyes glued to the screen, his hand steadily scrolling the mouse. Though he supposed that Hyungwon wasn't having issues because he treated his computer better than Minhyuk did his. Whatever the reason was didn’t matter when they both jumped in their seats, the tell tale scream of their favorite forum breaking the otherwise peaceful moment. The notification made Minhyuk's heart race with its unexpected sound.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see his computer screen had finally settled down from its fit and it was now showing his last comment on the forum. In the upper corner of the navigation bar by the letter icon was a blinking one. Hyungwon, who hadn't looked at him when the scream sounded was looking at him now. "Did you just get a message from that Joohon guy?" The look on his face must have said everything because Hyungwon was moving, long limbs and grace until he stood behind him. Minhyuk didn't stop the younger when he maneuvered the mouse to the message. And he wasn't surprised by what it revealed.

"I take he asked you the same thing?" Minhyuk asked as Hyungwon retreated with a sigh, only instead of returning to his computer he slouched into the couch. Hyungwon nodded in reply and Minhyuk sighed himself. They hadn’t actively talked about the incident in awhile. Not as long ago as Minhyuk himself would have liked, but truth was they both still had classes in the building and it wasn’t a one time incident. “Should we tell him?” He finally asked after a long stretch of silence, in which Hyungwon had thrown his head back and closed his eyes. If Minhyuk hadn’t known him since high school, he might have thought he was sleeping, but he knew better. 

“I mean it won’t actually hurt to do so, just…” Hyungwon’s voice trailed off and he thought about the message and the question that they’d both answered without a second thought. Though before they’d never discussed the incident, well incidents with anyone else. Even though they actively, and quite diligently, followed a forum about others experiences. He’d never truly believed anyone else would, or had had, an experience like theirs. But he’d also come to believe, deep down, that there had to be others. Or would be. “I never really expected to find anyone else that heard him.” He sighed at his own admission, saying it aloud sounded a bit selfish.

“I understand.” Minhyuk’s voice was low and Hyungwon knew that his best friend was probably feeling the same way. Because there was something about having an encounter different from everyone else that made you feel special. He wondered if maybe the others, the ones who’d replied to Joohon, had felt special too. Or maybe it wasn’t just a feeling and they all were. He knew in the end it didn’t really matter, a ghost was a ghost and showed itself to many people when it appeared. And he and Minhyuk had seen it several times together. Though nothing had ever scared him quite as much as the first time. 

“I think we should answer.” Hyungwon threw out running his hand through his hair. Recalling the moment wasn’t something he wanted to do right now. But the images were playing in the back of his mind like the horror movie they belonged in. “Just, leave out some of the details you know? Because maybe, maybe he didn’t hear him say what we heard him say. I heard there’s even a meet up coming up for the on campus ghost hunters to get footage of Berkley ghost. He could be part of that and hunting for more gossip.” He didn’t think so, not with an icon like that on a paranormal page, but he didn’t want to share his experience with anyone but Minhyuk. It was heartbreaking enough as it was.

Minhyuk nodded absently turning back to his screen, it was still working just fine, even though he felt and saw a shock transfer from his fingers to the keyboard when he started typing. Those shocks had started after the first incident, and kept going since. He couldn’t help thinking they were related. Though he wasn’t sure why they would be. But he couldn’t help feeling that they had to be. Maybe his body was still in shock after what it had seen, what it had heard. The forlorn pleading of the damned. 

It had happened within the first month of college when he’d been with Hyungwon. Back then they’d taken all the same classes to adjust to campus life easier. After having been together non stop so long it only felt natural. Now they didn’t really bother that much about it, but back then they’d only just moved to attend college. The first incident had taken place on one of the many nights they’d been talking about home, slowly descending the stairs in the Berkley building, very few students used them after the last class of the day. They had because the rest of their class was shoved into the elevators like sardines and Minhyuk wasn’t feeling up to being squished in with them.

At the time he had probably been being loud, as he often was so when he saw the guy in the corner he thought he’d been drawn by his loud voice. That had been as they were taking the corner, so he lowered his voice as they moved further down dismissing him. Until Hyungwon stopped talking and Minhyuk looked from his best friend to the place he was pointing. The place the guy had been standing, staring at them. He was still staring and Minhyuk had never seen eyes darker, or a face more in pain. Instinctively he reached for Hyungwon and just as his hand landed on him the guy came into starker contrast. 

In the same breath both he and Hyungwon had frozen, their eyes glued to the guy in the corner. Though neither of them spoke at the time Minhyuk later learned that they had both heard and seen the same thing. A deep voice pleading with them to help him, to save him. His body had been wrapped in chains that looked to be the red of hot metal. And what he’d thought to be dark eyes, were black. At the time Minhyuk had been unable to breath or look away far longer than he would have liked, but as soon as he could move he pulled his hand away from Hyungwon and the guy in the corner was gone. Vanished. 

Hyungwon knew that Minhyuk was recalling the first encounter by watching his shoulders tense. Or maybe of the conclusion they’d come to both by thinking it through and trial and error, that when they touched near the ghost they saw it clearer. For while they’d never actually wanted to use the stairs again after the first time it had been unavoidable. Which led to their many other instances of seeing the ghost of Berkley. Which had led to the trails and errors to begin with. Which led to now, reaching out to someone who might see, or have seen what they saw. 

Absentmindedly Minhyuk thought about what Hyungwon had said, about the meet up of the ghost hunters. “Maybe we should meet up with the people who also heard the ghost?” The words left his lips before he could think further about them. His fingers typing them faster than he’d even thought of them before his fingers stilled above the keyboard, a shock filling his body instead of leaving it. The idea feeling more than a good idea as he slowly turned to look at Hyungwon. “Like our own Berkley ghost squad, only you know more in the know?” He tried to sound joking, but he knew he was beyond serious. Felt deep down this needed to happen.

“Sure.” Hyungwon agreed before he even thought about it. The red hot chains filling his mind’s eye with the thought that maybe, just maybe the ghost was calling to them specifically. And that they truly were special. And it wasn’t a bad thing to not be alone in that. He thought it funny that in the end there were six of them that had all heard the voice, the plea. In his mind the number felt important, there had been six chains on the ghost after all. Maybe, just maybe that was why he went back to his own computer and replied to Joohon himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...next up Wonho and Shownu


	4. Wonho & Shownu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonho and Shownu get an invitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean for this to take so long. I've been busy working on Twitter AUs. Which you can find if you find me on Twitter @shinigamibutter 
> 
> They're lovely.
> 
> Also I've changed to monthly updates cause I accidentally bit off a little more than I can chew. Oops...

Wonho jumped, if only slightly, at hearing the shrill scream of a notification from his phone. To his surprise it echoed from his workout partner, Shonwu's phone as well. The noise cutting through the near silence of the campus gym, they were currently working out in. The sound drew a few dirty looks from the other gym goers, but Wonho paid them no attention. Settling the weights he'd been done with into their proper place before he reached for his phone. Beside him Shownu was doing the same, giving him a fond look as this was the very same way they'd become friends a few years ago. 

Only this time Wonho got the feeling that the notifications were related. As earlier they'd both come across a question on their mutually favorite forum and they'd both taken the time to comment on it. That had been before they'd started their workout. And now that they were finished he felt they were getting an answer back. Logically it would have made sense to get a notification together since they were on the same thread, but what he found on the forum wasn't a reply but a message from one MinK. A username he recognized from the thread he'd commented on.

"Did you get an invitation too?" Shownu's voice was low, questioning, and unsure. Wonho glanced at his face, seeing the apprehension there that he was sure was echoed on his own. The same look they'd shared earlier in the night when debating on commenting on Joohon's thread and being honest or not. The same look they'd shared years ago before being honest to one another about their encounters with the Berkeley ghost. "I'll take that as a yes." Shownu nodded his head and Wonho sighed looking at the message again. He could see Shownu's username in the sent box. As well as the other names from the thread. 

"Should we go?" Wonho countered, leaning his head against the wall behind the bench they'd sat down at. It was off the side of the main gym, a resting area for cooldowns and the perfect spot for private pep talks, though Wonho had yet to see one given. However he and Shownu liked to use it to discuss life when they were cooling down. Or just to chat idly while waiting for a machine to spot each other on. This though, Wonho could tell would be a life altering talk just as their first had been on this very bench. The first being when they discovered each other and their similar encounters with the paranormal. 

Shownu thought about it a moment, a feeling in his gut telling him that not going would be worse than going. The nagging feeling of not knowing what might happen if they didn't go already weighing on him. Still, he didn't want to make the decision impulsively. After all being unable to control one's impulses was considered a fault. But he found himself typing even as he replied to Wonho, memories of their first conversation about this floating through his mind. "I think we should go. We've never seen any other posts claiming they heard the ghost, and I think that means something." He shrugged watching his workout partner nod beside him. 

"You're right." Wonho's voice was barely audible over the sound of both of their keypads. Shownu supposed that was the only logical answer. "Are you free this Friday?" Big curious eyes turned towards him and for a moment Shownu thought of the last time he'd seen the ghost, his eyes had also been that big. But they weren't innocent and soft like a Wonho's, instead they'd been full of pain and pitch black. He nodded in answer watching Wonho type, once more curious how the elder knew his thoughts before he did sometimes. A trait he said started after seeing the ghost. 

Shownu sighed leaning his own head back as he recalled his first encounter, one of many. He'd been in a crowd of friends headed through the Berkeley stairwell to freedom from classes. He'd only glanced in the corner because he'd felt like he was being watched. It turned out he was, by a young man in the corner with eyes darker than any he'd seen before. And while he'd heard the rumors, he hadn't believed them. Instead he was convinced it was his friends pulling a prank on him. Until he'd heard the voice, until he'd heard the pleading. After that he'd found the forum and realized it most certainly wasn't a prank.

Since then he'd seen the ghost several times, alone and not alone. The last time had been with Wonho a week or so ago. As they shared a class in the building that they'd both put off after their first encounters. That time though things had been different, the voice had been louder and Wonho told him the ghost felt desperate. Though that was a feeling Wonho had told him he'd always felt from the apparition. The feeling having been why Wonho had even looked in the corner during his first encounter. "I think things are going to get crazier." The words had slipped out without meaning but Shownu felt them to his core. 

"I think you're right." Wonho agreed sighing as he set his phone down. He wondered at the apprehension in his heart after he'd hit send, unsure if it was his own or a feeling shared between everyone in the message. He didn't want to think about it anymore as he saw the instant reply come in, his phone and Shownu's echoing a shrill scream of a notification. The date and time was set and whether anything would happen or not it seemed that they, the ones who could hear, were going ghost hunting in the Berkeley stairwell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts appreciated. We're really getting into it next chapter. Also sorry short this chapter, but for reasons.


	5. Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ghost in the stairwell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .....Hi. It's been over five months. But I'm quite sure that every Monbebe knows why. I won't get into the details of it. But I will say go tweet Starship that you want Wonho back. 😤
> 
> Let's just say I'm going to try my best to pick up my older works and finish them.
> 
> I don't know why this ended up in Jooheon's point of view but here we are.

Jooheon shivered as he made his way through campus to the one building he disliked most. Berkley. He wished, not for the first time, he was making this journey under the warm overhead sun but instead the sky was darkening and filling with stars. And he knew that even though the sun was still peeking just over the edge of the world it wouldn't be by the time he arrived at the building. But that was all part of the plan that MinK had sent out to him and four others just a few short days ago. Saying something along the lines of ghosts come out at night, followed quickly by the truth that they'd have to be in the building before it was locked up.

As every student knew Berkley was one of three of the only non faculty buildings that was actually locked on campus after hours. Making it the only building that students had full access to that was locked for reasons other than science related paraphernalia. As for reasons, Jooheon himself could not fathom, students in years long past had tried sleeping in the Berkley stairwell to catch the ghost. Though he supposed what they were doing now wasn't that far off. Though, if he were being really honest with himself he wasn't even sure how he'd been talked into this either. As seeing the ghost again wasn't high on his to do list. Or he wanted to say as much at least, but it wasn't true and he knew it. 

The image of the ghost hadn't left him since he'd first seen it. And even now his thoughts were filled with the ghost's pleas as he silently made his way on well worn sidewalks that meandered through the campus buildings. Sidewalks that usually saw much more foot traffic than a lone student and were thus usually much more inviting. Not like now as the buildings to every side of him seemed to yawn and stretch out into the sky. And even as he tried to ignore them he felt another shiver up his spine at the images the shadows they cast made. And he wondered once more why he'd agreed to this.

He wasn't even sure why the others had agreed, as it seemed like when the decision was made just a few days ago it had been made quickly. Unanimously. MinK had then made a group chat for the six of them and they'd exchanged names and photos, not that Jooheon remembered them very well yet. And the closer he got the building he was headed towards the more nervous he became about that, a small group was visible gathered in front of the door. Highlighted by the last rays of the sun fading away. 

"Jooheon?" The voice that said his name was cheerful, and came from a tall blonde that reminded him more of a puppy than a person with the excitement they oozed. They'd bounced over to him the moment he'd come within sight all smiles and exuberance. While behind them another tall handsome male had rolled his eyes, pursing his lips in a way that was distinctly turtle like. When he nodded, the blonde patted his shoulder sending a shock through him that left him warm. A shock that the male had obviously felt as his eyes widened.

"The shock?" The man with the turtle lips asked, eyebrow quirked and Jooheon remembered that his name was Hyungwon as the taller stepped closer. "That's.." His voice trailed off and he forced a smile that Jooheon could read past. The befuddlement still clear through his knitted eyebrows until he shook them loose with a shake of his head. "It's nice to finally meet you Jooheon." Hyungwon smiled instead, warm and easy. It made him feel that much more at ease as the last two stepped up. 

"Don't be nervous." The voice was soft, gentle, and genuine in a way that had Jooheon further relaxing as he finally exchanged names with everyone in person. Making them stick much more than they had online. And made him less nervous just as Wonho, the one who had told him to relax had suggested. Though it only calmed his nerves a little as he realized they were missing a member the moment Minhyuk, the blonde, had finished his introduction. "Kihyun's inside. He's got a key and is keeping an eye on the janitor and security." 

Jooheon nodded wondering how Wonho had known what he was thinking but dismissed it in favor of controlling his urge to jump when the door opened. A face familiar from their chat was peeking out at them, and this time it was easy to put a name to said face. Kihyun was smiling at them while ushering them inside with a small gesture of his hand as he opened the door wider. Jooheon felt himself shiver again as he followed the others in, there was something just different about a school at night. University or not. Though he knew that was probably because most of the lights were off as well.

"The coast is clear." Kihyun's voice was soft and lowered as they moved as a group towards the stairs that were on the far left side of the building. Along the way Jooheon could see darkened empty classrooms and he knew the last class that was held in the building would be letting out in a few minutes. Which meant the whole building would be on lock down in a few hours. Though he didn't say anything listening to the heavy not quite silence the building was falling under. Filled with the electric hum of the lights, vending machines, and the soft noises of their shoes on the floors giving it the feeling of not being alone. 

"So why do you have a key to the building?" It was Minhyuk's voice, just a touch too loud that broke that settling silence between them causing Jooheon to jump. The blonde only smiled sheepishly at him before looking back at Kihyun, who was still leading them. Jooheon forced his gaze ahead too, trying hard not to look at the shadows of everyday things around the building that weren't normally there. Or just overshadowed by the usual fullness of the building with people. He was already regretting everything as he bumped into Shownu.

Kihyun's answer took a moment, a whole classroom passing them by before Jooheon heard him again voice even softer. "Do you know about Professor Kim? I had him freshman year and I was willing to do things for extra credit. I didn't realize by do things, he didn't mean just staying late to make copies." Jooheon watched Kihyun's shoulders tighten and the way Shownu's frown formed. He didn't know who Professor Kim was but he hoped he never found out. "It never got that far, but he did give me keys. And after I threatened to report him he wasn't brave enough to ask for them back." 

"So you're the reason Professor Kim finally went on the straight and narrow?" Hyungwon's voice was more of a mumble and Jooheon smiled at how sleepy it sounded even though the owner looked quite alert. "Impressive." Another silence fell after that and Jooheon wondered for the nth time why he'd agreed to do this. The classrooms were still, empty and the halls were echoing their footsteps as he approached a known ghost with practically strangers. 

Except Jooheon didn't feel like they were strangers. He didn't feel any kind of nervousness once they'd all talked for a just a moment. Which was unusual on it's own in college, but he felt even more comfortable than he did in most of the study groups he'd joined. Comfortable enough to ask the questions he'd been thinking about since before they'd entered the building. "So what was that shock that happened outside?" He whispered over to Minhyuk as the group slipped into a sitting area. Along the hallway the vestiges of the last class letting out could be heard. 

Jooheon wasn't sure what the game plan was after this, as they wanted to be alone on the stairs, but he knew they had a little while to kill. Long enough to ask. Minhyuk seemed delighted at the question, his face lighting up with a smile. A glint in his eye that told Jooheon that in some ways the blonde was probably a handful. "Ever since I first saw the ghost I started to get little shocks, usually it's with electronics. I think this is the first time it's with anyone other than Hyungwon."

Jooheon nodded his mind turning over the information as he looked around the group. Kihyun looked a little pale while Wonho's eyebrows were climbing to pensive. Shownu, who'd barely spoken smiled when their eyes met. "Maybe it was the ghost?" Jooheon offered with a small chuckle, trying not to psych himself out. Nothing unusual had happened to him after he saw it, but he'd seen a few not quite reliable renditions of that kind of thing happening through the years. At least he hoped they weren't reliable as several had claimed to see more ghosts after their encounter. 

"It might be." Shownu's voice was firm and smooth and Jooheon noted his gaze was pointed as it fell on Kihyun then Wonho. As if he knew something. "Kiham is your username right?" He smiled wide at Kihyun who moved sheepishly in a way that Jooheon didn't really understand, but he watched the exchange with interest regardless as Kihyun nodded. "I was a big fan of your posts about other ghosts you've seen it's how I found the blog to begin with."

"Wait you see other ghosts?" Jooheon could feel his skin prickle up at the thought, the hairs on his arm standing on end. He didn't want something like that to happen to him. Actually he really didn't want to be there the longer they sat there, the sounds of receding shoes and voices still echoing in the distance. As they'd sat away from both the stairs and elevator but in a place both could be heard. Jooheon had met Gunhee here often between classes. Instead of answering Kihyun just shrugged, eyes averted. 

Wonho coughed into his hand and Jooheon wondered about him knowing what he was thinking earlier. Did all of them gain something from this ghost? He hadn't. But he knew it was possible but before he could ask Wonho was answering him. "No, I didn't gain anything from the ghost. I've always been..well just a touch empathic. It just got a little more pronounced after my run in. I can't read your mind Jooheon, just your emotions." 

"Isn't that like the same thing?" Minhyuk looked everything like a bright eyed and bushy tailed puppy when Jooheon glanced at him and he wondered if that was what Wonho saw as he chuckled at him. Wonho didn't answer though just laughed and shook his head. "Isn't it?" The blonde insisted and pouted when he didn't get an answer. Jooheon told himself it wasn't cute as he glanced back at the empty hall way there were no more voices. 

Shownu seemed to catch on to that too as he frowned, and for a moment Jooheon wondered if he was the only one nervous. He felt like it, but that didn't make it true. "What if the ghost doesn't show?" The words had left his lips before he could stop them but the air that followed them was tense, full of potential but for what he didn't know. The answer was there though, in that energy between them. As if to answer it they stood as one, looked at each other and nodded making their way to the stairs.

There was no question if the ghost would be there. Jooheon could feel it with a certainty he only felt in recalling memories. No more words were spoken as they entered the stairwell, filled with moonlight as there were no lights in this part. Though Jooheon had read that there used to be, but the bulbs would often break or burn out unexpectedly and since there was enough natural lighting the school had stopped bothering. It left the stairwell somewhat spookier at night than during the day but not moreso than a cloudy day.

Or that's what Jooheon told himself as they started climbing up, but there was something different as they did so. Something surreal that he chalked up to being in the school at night but he couldn't quite put his finger on regardless. Then he realized he'd been hearing the ghost's voice for the last few stairs. The same plea, over and over. And as they reached the landing there it was. But something was different, not the voice which faded away but the face. It was contorted in pain and he could see chains red hot and binding. 

"You've come." The voice was deep, deeper than the pleas had been and more strained but Jooheon knew it was the ghost whose hand was slowly rising, reaching towards them. And as if in a trance they all stepped forward together onto the landing. The black eyes that stared back at them pulled them forward, into the corner. Their own hands coming to meet the ghost's. It was when Jooheon felt his hand connect to another hand that he realized this ghost had never been a ghost at all. But it was too late. The chains were breaking away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thoughts welcomed. I'm rusty, but this isn't surprising.
> 
> All the warnings hit next chapter just a heads up.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write horror lately so this is probably as close as I'll get.


End file.
